Grief Resource Refresh
Can you believe we're halfway through 2021 already?! It feels like just yesterday I was providing you with grief resources to kick off 2021 and carry you throughout the first half of the year. While those resources are still very much valid and accessible, there are so many good resources out there that I wanted to provide you with a "resource refresh". You may find some resources are similar to those provided at the beginning of the year but the majority of them will be new and worth checking out/utilizing if you find beneficial.
Universal Mental Health Resources
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health); they are the largest organization providing "advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives." (NAMI, 2020). Some of their resources include but are not limited to: support groups, mental health education (warning signs, symptoms, and the different types of mental health conditions), and a help line to answer any questions you may have and provide you with the next best steps. Learn more about this great resource at https://www.nami.org/home.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255); this resource provides 24 hours/7 days a week free and confidential support to those who are experiencing suicidal thoughts/crisis or emotional distress. Their website also provides other great education and support resources. Find more at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Local Grief Resources
Grief Coalitions; each grief coalition group can be a little different but the majority of them are grief support groups that provide educational topics each week by a grief professional, followed by small groups based on the type of loss your greiving. There are many throughout the metro and some require you to be a member while others do not. I would encourage you to Google "grief coalitions near me" to find your nearest option. Below is a list of the handful of coalitions I have spoken at/worked with:
Edina Coalition for Grief Support: https://edinagriefsupport.org
West Suburban Grief Coalition: https://www.wayzatacommunitychurch.org/support-groups/west-suburban-grief-coalition/
Bloomington-Richfield Grief Coalition: https://brgriefcoalition.com
Growing Through Loss - Twin Cities South Suburban: https://www.growingthroughlosstcsouth.com/about.html
Family Means; Center For Grief & Loss; I talked about this organization that offers a wide variety of resources for those battling grief in the last resource blog. I wanted to share with you their upcoming Memorial Gathering for Hope & Healing event. It will take place virtually on Thursday, September 23, 2021 and is designed to provide a platform for grievers to share their experiences with grief and their hopes for the future. You can also view the event and register here https://www.griefloss.org/center-events.html.
Social Media/Internet Resources
What's Your Grief?; What's Your Grief is an online grief support platform and offers a little something for everyone; those who are greiving, those who are supporting a griever, and even grief professionals. Their resources include but are not limited to: blog articles, online courses, a platform to share your grief as you experience it as a way to help you in your grief journey, and various informational booklets. To learn more about their plethora of grief resources, visit them at https://whatsyourgrief.com. You may also choose to follow them on Instagram @whatsyourgrief.
Center for Loss & Life Transitions; Center for Loss & Life Transitions is an organization for individuals who are greiving and for those who are supporting those grievers. This organization is led by Dr. Alan Wolfelt who has been identified as "one of North America's leading death educators and grief counselors." He offers a great variety of resources, including resources for grief professionals. View his organization here: https://www.centerforloss.com.
Normalize Grief/Glitter and Grief; this is an online platform that strives towards normalizing grief "so we all feel less alone in it." This is achieved through educational content discussing what grief is, how we grieve differently, cliches that come with grief, and how we can best cope with grief. Check it out at https://www.normalizegrief.com/home or you may choose to follow them on Instagram @glitterandgrief.
Again, this only begins to scratch the surface of the grief resources out there. I'd like to invite you to utilize these as you find necessary. Some may resonate with you now, some may be beneficial later, and some may never be useful; that's the beauty about grief, we get to customize it to match our needs.
Here's to living a better life as your best self.
Brittany Squillace, MA, LMFT
